Species
Cyamodus hildegardis
Cyamodus hildegardisCyamodus hildegardis was a heavily armored marine reptile that patrolled shallow coastal lagoons across the ancient Tethys Sea during the Middle Triassic. Its body was protected by a distinctive two-part carapace of fused polygonal scutes, paired with broad, pavement-like palate teeth adapted to pulverize thick-shelled bivalves. Short paddle-like limbs and a flexible tail propelled this stout creature across sandy sea bottoms in search of benthic prey.
Marine ReptilePrehistoric
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyBivalves, Brachiopods, Decapod crustaceans
Predators
- Nothosaurus
- Large predatory sharks
- Early ichthyosaurs
ThreatsMarine regressions and large predatory marine reptiles
HabitatsShallow coastal shelf seas and lagoonal marine waters
Life span15–30 years (estimated)
Classification
- FamilyCyamodontidae
- SpeciesCyamodus hildegardis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric reptile known only from Middle Triassic fossil deposits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Exhibits: Look for mounted fossil specimens in central European natural history collections.
- Fossil Identification: Inspect the flattened, button-shaped crushing teeth embedded in the broad palate.
Same Genus Ghedoghedo / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailablePredator 
Close Relative Ghedoghedo / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-saClose Relative
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